Household and office security systems are well known in the art. Typically such systems provide sensors which communicate with a controller. The sensors are typically infrared sensors keyed by body heat, sound sensors keyed by noise, or pressure and magnetic sensors keyed by the opening of doors and windows for sensing the presence of intruders. An alarm condition is declared by the controller when one of the sensors sends the controller a signal indicative of the alarm condition. In response to receiving such signal, the controller sets a local alarm to scare off the intruder and/or transmits an alarm signal to a subscriber company which watches for such alarm conditions.
Although these alarm systems are well known, the theft of components or exchange of components of electronic equipment is a commonplace problem. These prior art alarm systems are ineffective to stop the theft or exchange of electronic equipment because the intruder is typically authorized to be in the office or in the home. In other words, the intruder is authorized to be in the office or in the home but is unauthorized to be removing or exchanging components of electronic equipment.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a security system that can detect the unauthorized removal or exchange of components of electronic equipment. It is to such a security system that the present invention is directed.